Why did Welsh Rugby Union want a ‘radical’ refresh?published at 14:30 BST
14:30 BST
Rowenna Hoskin
BBC Wales
Wales’ men’s national team basked in a golden era after rugby went regional here in 2003, with Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys Scarlets and Celtic Warriors – the latter folding after just a year.
They won four Six Nations Grand Slams in 14 years and reached the World Cup semi-finals twice.
The Welsh team reached number one in the world too, and the British and Irish Lions picked 10 Welshmen in their third Test win over Australia in 2013.
But they have since slumped to a record 18-match losing streak – going 644 days without a win – and slipped to 14th in the world rankings this year.
Then just two Wales players were picked for the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia this summer.
Ospreys have won four league titles and Scarlets two but no Welsh team has won it since 2017.
The Cardiff region has won two European Challenge Cups – the second tier European competition – but the last of which was in 2018.
Only one Welsh region – the Scarlets in 2017/18 – have reached the quarter finals of the Champions Cup in 13 years.
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